SYATP unites students in prayer, fellowship

See You at the Pole (SYATP) is a nationwide event, wherein the students gather at their school’s flagpole, before school, to pray for the country, the community, the school, and fellow classmates. FC students will be joining thousands of their peers across the nation in the movement, Sept. 27. Students and worship members are planning to meet in the quad at 7 a.m.

According to the SYATP website, the goal of the event is to create a unifying voice of pray, by banding students together to ask God for help.

“For over 25 years, See You at the Pole has been about one simple act—prayer. SYATP is still about students uniting themselves in prayer before God interceding for their generation.”

SYATP is focused solely on prayer over a multitude of topics. It is the opportunity for students to come together and pray. The SYATP website goes on to remind visitors that this is a student-led and organized event.

“See You at the Pole™ is simply a prayer rally where students meet at the school flagpole before school to lift up their friends, families, teachers, school, and nation to God. See You at the Pole™ is a student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led event.”

Annabelle Messer, ‘20, is attending See You at the Pole this year because she likes getting to see everyone come together to pray and unite. Messer thinks the school can benefit from the students joining together in prayer.

“I want to come because I love watching everybody pray and unite, and it’s a good opportunity to pray with your friends and have a good time,” Messer said. “I think the school can benefit from it because we’re all together like a family when we pray, and we’re all God’s children. And we’re all going to be praying for our school as well and maybe God will give us some answers.”

Jacob Hyatt, ‘21, has yet to attend a SYATP event and is looking forward to his first time. Hyatt hopes to worship God and pray specifically for our school.

“I want to attend See You at the Pole because friends have said that it was really fun last year,” Hyatt said. “Also, most of my friends are going. My personal goal for See You at the Pole is to worship God through prayer. I plan to pray over our school for this year.”

Jordan Mazzela, ‘20, will not be attending SYATP because she did not ask her parents if she could attend the event.

“I am not sure of why I am not going to See You at the Pole,” Mazzela said. “I just never asked my parents if I could go. I think See You at the Pole is a great thing for our community to do and I’m happy so many people are doing it.”

Aubri Foster, one of the student leadership advisors, and a first-year high school teacher is looking forward to SYATP as an opportunity to pray together and unite. Foster also hopes that the students can become more unified through this event.

“See You at the Pole is a national day where students from all across the country are meeting on their campuses, around their flagpoles, to pray for the country, and the nation, our leaders, and also their city leaders,” Foster said. “It’s an opportunity for Christians on campus to gather together and to seek the Lord in the place that they are at the most, at school.”

“I hope that the students will gain a sense of unity between one another, as they lift up our immediate authority, our local authority and our national authority in prayer to the Lord,” Foster continued. “Sometimes prayer doesn’t change a situation, but it changes our hearts toward the situation. I hope that our hearts will be a heart of humility towards the issues that are facing our nation today, and how we can serve and not be served.”

Associated Student Body Chaplain Erin Wilson, ‘18, has been promoting SYATP by announcing the upcoming event in chapels, as well as making bracelets and shirts available for students to wear. Wilson believes that SYATP gives the student body a chance to come and pray for a multitude of topics and that it’s a good thing even public schools are involved in.

“An overall goal would probably be to pray together and to grow together, and for all of us to just come together as one student body and just pray for the community, and pray for all the things that just need prayer right now,” Wilson said. “To me, it gives an opportunity for students to come together and pray for topics that not only affect their schools but their community and the whole nation.”

Wilson has been organizing part of the event, such as topics that will be prayed for.

“Something I find really cool about this event is that it’s not just private Christian schools that do it; it’s something that even public schools recognize,” Wilson said. “I’m definitely excited. I’m a bit nervous because I’ve kind of been organizing things. I’ve been trying to advertise it, but I think it will be good. I’m definitely excited and I think it will go well.”

Leadership advisor Robert Foshee enjoys that students run the entire event. Foshee believes the event can benefit our school because the students will be coming together as one.

“I enjoy the fact that it is student-led, both in leading prayer and putting together the worship,” Foshee said, “Our verse this year is Romans 12:4-5, which talks about the body of Christ. See You at the Pole is another way for the school to come together as a body and worship Jesus.”

Prayer is not the only aspect of SYATP, unity is also emphasized. See You at the Pole kicks off a week of prayer as well. Starting Sept. 24 through Sept. 30 is the Global Week of Student Prayer. It is to encourage students to pray at any time and at any place, with anyone.

See You at the Pole needs some planning in order to be at school by 7 a.m. Be sure to ask parents or those you ride-share to get to campus early on Wednesday. Come prepared to sing, share and pray for each other and leaders ranging from school, city, state and nations.

For last year’s article on SYATP, read See You at the Pole. For another article, read Seniors reflect on freshman regrets.

This author can be reached via twitter @toryntriplitt and via email: Toryn Triplitt.